So over a year ago, in April of 2011, I was folding clothes in the guest room (in case you didn’t know, I consider our guest room bed a gigantic drawer for clean clothes, and occasionally that drawer gets a little out of control), and out of nowhere, a book title popped in my head.
Well, it wasn’t an actual book title. It was an old Southern expression that I thought might be a possible book title. Granted, it seemed totally ridiculous that I was even contemplating book titles considering that I had no plans to write a book and had never even had an idea for a book. Plus, I’m not a dreamer, I’m not a goal-setter, and I’m terrified of rejection. So it didn’t require much of a mental leap to conclude that my self-doubt and I were not exactly on the fast track for publication.
But the title stuck with me as I finished folding clothes, and I texted it to myself so that I wouldn’t forget it. I couldn’t shake the feeling that there might be something I could do with it.
Well.
Last fall there were some very unexpected developments, and in February I signed a contract to write a book for Tyndale. I was thrilled to pieces for approximately twelve hours, at which point I realized that OH SWEET MERCY I HAVE TO WRITE ALL THE WORDS NOW.
And there may have been a little bit of panic at that juncture.
But this past Saturday night, around 9:20 in the PM, I finished the first draft of the book while I was sitting at my kitchen table. David and Alex were in the kitchen with me, and oh, it was a happy moment. They have been so supportive and encouraging throughout this whole process – y’all have no idea. I don’t know how I can ever repay them, but I’m going to start with lots of ice cream and also fried chicken.
The book is a collection of personal essays (that sounds fancy, but I think you know me well enough to know that the book is most definitely not fancy) about the joy of the day-to-day. It’s about the South and faith and family and food and how faithful God is to meet us in the middle of our seemingly ordinary circumstances. And while I never expected to say this, I cannot even begin to tell you how much fun I had writing it. It was one of the biggest blasts of my whole life. No kidding.
And by the way, the book really is called A Little Salty to Cut the Sweet. That makes me so happy. It wasn’t the title that we had on the proposal, but a few weeks after I signed my contract, I emailed my sweet editor and said, Okay. There’s this title that came to me last year when I was folding laundry. And I can’t let it go. She immediately wrote me back and said that she loved it. And then I put my head down on my desk, and I cried.
Actually, I sobbed. But we’ll pretend it was all very feminine and dainty and delicate.
ANYWAY, thanks so much for your patience with me over the last six months or so. It’s been a hectic time, but it’s been a wonderful time. I am unspeakably grateful.
And now? Oh, listen. I AM GOING TO WATCH SO MUCH TV.
I’m also going to sample new snack crackers, and I’m going to try to make Alex laugh at least once an hour because his laugh is pretty much my favorite sound in the world right now, and I’m going to paint my dining room, and I’m going to visit with my friends, and I’m going to go out to dinner with my husband and remind him at least every ten minutes to please notice how carefree and not stressed out I am.
And then, after I’ve frolicked in the land of no deadlines for awhile, I’ll tackle the first round of edits.
(HOLD ME.)
Love y’all!
So happy for you! And can’t WAIT to get my hands on a copy.
Congratulations!
I am so happy for you.
* an aside, I’m wondering if Amy in Italy is the Amy from Italy I met this weekend? :-) What a small world if that is the case, two Boo Mama fans meeting in LYon??
Way to go Sophie! I will be reading this book for sure!
Am so happy for you. I get most of my books from the library to read but your book I will be buying for myself and my sisters. Can’t wait!
So, On to IMPORTANT things.
Like. Ahem.
Will Martha be your stylist for the immense international Book Tour that is to come? Because I think that she should be the Lead (Initial) Stylist (I say parenthetically so she doesn’t hear me say that), and Melanie should have the final say.
And then you just have to worry about accessories. Because you, my dear Boo, can ROCK the Book Tour wide open with your choice of accessory.
The SteinMarts? Look. the. heck. out.
I think I shall start thinking of the namingo’theBookTour issue, as I think you must be just plum worded out about now.
Salty, Sweet, Sassy, Fried Chicken.
All words IMPERATIVE in the namingo’theBookTour.
But, worry not. For all you have done for me, it is the LEAST I CAN DO TO REPAY YOU.
(Wait. That would be impossible(,
So, call it my downpayment on the eternallygratefultoy’allthatIamforeverandeveramen.
OK.
Now,
Go enjoy the malefolk, type not a word for awhile and just enjoy A over his summer vaca.
I am thinking a trip to the coast is in order.
Shoo.
xoxo (and CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!)
~K
I’m sooooo proud of you, friend!! Love you much much much!!
Well, OF COURSE, the entire bloggy community is so very proud of you and CAN NOT wait for this blessed book baby to be delivered to stores near us! Have a great and carefree time for a bit. (In Texas we say, “WOOOOOOOOOO HOOOOOOO!”)
Congratulations! Love your title and can’t wait to read your book!
Congrats! I’m looking forward to reading your book!
Thrilled for you, Sophie. Truly. I cannot wait to read your fancy collection of essays ; )
Love your title! My daughter marries in 2 weeks. The reception is very simple — cake & punch — like we did it YEARS ago when I married. When discussing this, my husband said, “What about the peanuts..you know a little salty to cut the sweet.”
So happy for you! CANNOT wait for the book!
Congratulations!!! I love your writing style and cannot wait to read your book of essays!
woo hoo!! i cant wait to read the book!
can we preorder now?
You, dear BooMama, are a rock star! From one Southern gal to another, I LOVE the title of your book and cannot wait to buy myself a copy. :)
Enjoy your hard earned relaxation!
Overwhelmed with joy for you. Seriously crying right now. I cannot wait!!!
So excited for you!!! Congratulations! I can’t wait to read it and buy copies for gifts. I love that title. Seriously. Like we love strawberry pretzel salad (salty and sweet!!)
I just returned from Phoenix West at Orange Beach. I was hoping I would run into you there because I know your family has frequented said beach. I actually thought I saw you from afar under a floppy hat and sunglasses. But as I got closer, I realized it was a mirage. I am happy you are finished with your first draft of your book. I can’t wait to read it!
Congratulations, Boomama! Wow! I’m so excited and happy for you! I’m feeling all smug and excited…….like I had anything to do with it!! I can’t wait to read it! I’ll be sure to buy copies for my friends and family. BTW, whenever you’re scheduling your book-signing tour, I’d be so honored to host it at my house in Sinking Spring, OH (being that we are such a small town). But, if that doesn’t work out, a bookstore in Cincinnati or Columbus will do :)
Way to go, Boomama! Way to go!!!
Congratulations! I can’t wait to read it. The everyday is where things are wonderful, difficult, funny, crazy, marvelous, HARD, delicious…God has blessed me here at your place, so I know your book will be a gosh-darned treat!
Congratulations! That’s awesome! I’m looking forward to reading it.
I’m so happy for you and thankful with you to God for His provision and many blessings! I, too, live in Alabama (though I’m about to move to Orlando this fall to go on staff with Campus Crusade for Christ!) and I just graduated from The University of Alabama. I think your blog is so warm, friendly and encouraging, and I can’t wait to read your book!
Can’t wait to read your book! I’m an avid reader of mostly fiction novels, but I’m trying to branch out and read more non-fiction. It’s always been interesting to me how authors go about writing. It’s been fun following you through this season on your blog, and it’ll make reading your book all the sweeter.
Yay for you! Go grab that remote and enjoy.
Oh, heavens! I can’t wait to read it! Congratulations!
We have been smiling about this book for months and months and cannot wait to read it “together”…even if that means several 1000 miles apart. Enjoy your lack-o-deadlines…and especially your boy’s laugh. Mine turned 19 yesterday and his joy is still one of my favorite sounds. (SIde note: he’s headed to Amy in Italy in a few days, w/o his mama…incredible.)
Well done! (woh, woh, woh!)
Congratulations Sophie – I am so very happy for you! This is such a sweet post, and I just might have cried a little bit :) Now, go forth and enjoy your summer!
Way to go Sophie! That had to take an incredible amount of commitment and dedication. I can’t wait to read a copy.
I’m so excited about your book! I have enjoyed reading your blog for quiet a while now, and I’m very proud of you for completing A BOOK!! Congratulations!
Hooray! I’m so impressed that you have blogged at all while writing a book at the same time. I love the title and I’m sure the book will be fantastic. Good job Sophie!
Congratulations!! I am so happy for you and your newfound ability to enjoy some stress-free times =) I can’t wait to read the fruits of your labor!!
Can’t wait to read it, Sophie! Love the title!! :)
It is marvelous when God gives us the opportunity to live a dream. Bless you!
Love the title!!
I am thrilled for you. Just thrilled. What an enormous accomplishment!
I am not an avid reader simply because I usually find the need to get out the red pen and start the correcting and, quite frankly, that ruins the fun. (I know. I know. I’m so picky.) BUT, that is precisely why I am looking so forward to your fancy essay collection. Between the fantastic tales and the lack of grammatical and spelling errors, I will be in heaven. Heaven.
Now, about the tour….you’ll need to stock up on the three-quarter length sleeve jacket. You’ll never be able to gauge the temperature in those nationwide bookstores and we all know the perfect thing to wear to battle the too cold or too hot locale is most definitely the three-quarter length sleeve.
Congratulations to you, my friend.
Yay, BM!! (oh my, seeing that abbreviation in print made me lose my whole train of thought — sent my brain on a whole other tangent). Anyway, Miss Sophie, we knew you could do it! So proud and happy for you! And don’t stop now. I haven’t even read the first one and I already want more. Love what you do and how you say it.
So very happy for you! ! ! Can’t wait to get my copy of the book!
Love that title! And I love that saying too–whenever I eat sweets, I find myself wanting something salty to cut it. Who knew there was so much wisdom in the South? ;)
Congratulations on such a monumental accomplishment! I can just imagine how stress-free you must be feeling.
So excited for you! Can’t wait to read your book! And if you need I suggestion to begin catching up on the cracker testing, you must try the new JINGOS crackers. They are a Pepperidge Farm product. Go for the Lime & Sweet Chili variety. And do your best to not eat the entire box in one sitting. It is my new challenge. Again, CONGRATS!
Congrats!!! What an awesome feeling. And LOVE the title. Can’t wait to read it :)
I love the title. It actually makes me a bit nostaligic to read it because I can picture my grandmother eating one Lay’s potato chip after a slice of pound cake. She was the only person I ever knew who could eat just one Lay’s potato chip. This makes me smile. Congratuations and I can’t wait to read it!!
CONGRATULATIONS! What a sense of joy and relief you must be enjoying!
*I also LOVE your title–my grandma said it at the end of nearly every meal ;-) But, she was born, lived and died in northern WI, and never traveled south of Chicago. It seems to be a pretty well-known saying everywhere!
Have fun living footloose and fancy-free with those sweet guys of yours!!
That title is Beautiful! I can not wait to get a copy and pour over it. Please count me in amongst the 14 – 22 (thousands) that will be ready and waiting for its arrival!
So exciting! Definitely one I can’t wait for!!
Yay! Congratulations!
Soph, I am so proud of you and can’t wait to see the finished product (and to have you autograph my copy of course!).
hooray! I love the title and can’t wait to read it! :-)
I cannot wait to read this book! Congratulations!!
So awesome! Congrats! Love the title!
I love the title. Congrats!
CONGRATS!!!! Can’t wait to read the book!!!
Congratulations! What an accomplishment. I can’t wait to pre-order the book!!
First of all…six months?!?! You wrote your first draft in six months? I’m so impressed. Second, I think it’s great to start with your title. I used to love to work a writing project backwards and even have a few titles of my own that I will sell in my very own future bookstore, which also has been named. And I will gladly host a book signing there for you too. :) So proud of you, Sophie, and can’t wait to read it!
Congrats! I can’t wait to buy many copies!!!
I wish I could just click over to Amazon and pre-order right now. Congratulations!
I AM SOOOOO EXCITED FOR YOU! I will be buying a copy!